Software Integration saves money
Software integration are two words to warm the heart. Enabling systems to communicate with each other saves time and money and provides a seamless connection for businesses, organizations and customers.
Such digital magic is down to an application programming interface, or API. And it certainly has benefits for the licensing sector. But first, let’s look at how an API works.
What is an API?
Basically, it acts as an intermediary that allows data to be transferred between systems. In other words, companies can let external third parties and business partners access their application data and functionality. In this way applications used in daily operations can be connected. This saves time for employees and simplifies the integration of applications for developers, so no IT system has to be an island.
A good and simple example is how payments are processed for online purchases. Once a buyer goes to the payment section, they will be given various options, including third party systems, such as Paypal. If a third-party system is selected, an API retrieves information from the web server then makes a call to the third-party system’s web server. The data is then transferred back to the product website. To the buyer this all appears as a seamless transaction.
Is it safe?
In these days of increasing online fraud, you’d be forgiven for asking about whether APIs are safe and secure. The obvious answer is that they have to be. APIs provide added protection for communications between systems and also for personal users. For systems, APIs will separate the requesting application from the infrastructure of the service responding and provide layers of security between the two. This includes
providing authentication credentials.
In the case of end users, a location API on the website may ask them for their location. The user has the option to allow or deny the request. Many web browsers and mobile operating systems include a permission function to control requests from APIs to access their data.
Benefits of APIs to licensing
In a nutshell, APIs make the process of designing and developing new applications simpler and also easier to integrate and manage existing applications. For those involved in licensing an API can provide a link to the systems used for financial processing, enterprise resource planning, sales records and partner databases.
Information about the parties involved in a licensing agreement, the number of products sold and invoices issues and paid can all flow freely.
This interconnectedness means that, in the Dependable Solutions system for example, there’s no need to enter data manually and reports on the data can easily be collated within the system.
As well as saving time, and therefore money, it reduces the risk of human error which can happen when information has to be transferred manually from one system to another.
How we are using this technology at Dependable Solutions.
We at Dependable Solutions have installed an API key management feature to facilitate seamless integration with other systems. It’s one of several developments within our licensing and royalty management systems for improving flexibility, control and integration.
John Baker, Manager of Software Development, explains:
“Our primary goal is to empower every user. Every development, including our API key management feature, has been meticulously designed to place essential tools directly into the hands of licensing professionals. We’re dedicated to making these tools intuitive and flexible.”
“Our relentless drive to improve, innovate and update is what’s behind our cutting-edge product and position as an industry leader.”
If you want to take back control of your licensing operations, if customization of tools and workflows is important to you and your team, Dependable Solutions would be happy to help you.